Weekly News Roundup- September 6, 2013

What’s happening at National Wildlife Federation this week?

Bison and calf by Dick Forehand

 

NWF Taking Action

Swimming Upstream: Freshwater Fish in a Warming World

Freshwater Fish in a Warming World Report cover

September 4-  America’s coldwater fish habitat could decline by 50 percent within the lifetime of a child born today thanks to climate change, according to a new report released today by the National Wildlife Federation. Swimming Upstream: Freshwater Fish in a Warming World details how climate change is warming lakes, rivers and streams and making existing stresses worse, creating an uncertain future for America’s freshwater fishing traditions and the jobs that depend on them.

“More extreme heat and drought are already causing big problems for fish that rely on cold, clean water – and the warming we’ve seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Doug Inkley, National Wildlife Federation senior scientist and one of the lead authors of Swimming Upstream. “We can protect America’s outdoor heritage, but only if we act now to cut industrial carbon pollution, invest in clean energy, and make communities and habitats more resilient to the impacts of climate change.”

Climate change is warming our lakes, rivers and streams causing:

  • Habitat loss for many cold-water species
  • Exacerbation of existing stressors, such as habitat loss, polluted water, invasive species and disease
  • Increased competition from warm-water species

“Temperature increases of even a few degrees can have dramatic impacts, harming iconic game fish like salmon, trout and walleye and giving a leg up to destructive invaders like sea lamprey,” said Jack Williams, Trout Unlimited senior scientist and one of the lead authors of Swimming Upstream. “We need to manage our water resources in a way that ensures that both people and fish have the clean, cool, and abundant water they need to survive.”

Download the report here!

 

Take Your Kids for a Walk on the Wild Side

Hike and Seek banner with hikers by Dave Zalubowski

September 4-  NWF  is pleased to announce the fourth annual Hike & Seek™ cities happening around the country this fall.  Hike & Seek is a cross between a scavenger hunt and a 1-2 mile hike with live wildlife displays, activities and fun interactive stations along the trail.

The fourth annual 2013 Hike & Seek will be held in the following cities this fall:

  • 9/28- Chicago, IL
  • 9/28- Denver, CO
  • 10/5- Minneapolis, MN
  • 10/5- New York City
  • 10/5- Seattle
  • 10/19- Bernardsville, NJ
  • 10/19- Washington DC
  • 10/26- Baltimore, MD
  • 11/2- Atlanta, GA
  • 11/2- Los Angeles, CA
  • 11/9- Houston, TX

Sign up at www.hikeandseek.org early to buy tickets!

 

“The Gulf has waited long enough.”

Bay Jimmy Oiled Grass

August 28– BP and Anadarko Petroleum Corp recently argued in the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that neither company is liable for civil fines under the Clean Water Act for the Gulf oil disaster. This latest legal move comes as the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council approves its Initial Comprehensive Plan.

Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, said today:

“It is awfully late in the game for BP to deny responsibility for the Gulf oil disaster and we expect the court of appeals to quickly dispatch this desperate legal maneuver. These legal issues must be resolved once and for all so we can focus on the task of cleaning up the aftermath of the disaster and restoring the Gulf of Mexico.

 

Leaf Pack Connects Students With Nature

August 28- NWF and Stroud Water Research Center (the Center) are proud to announce a joint venture to help students investigate their local stream ecosystems with the Leaf Pack Experiment Stream Ecology Kit.

Developed by the Center, the Leaf Pack Experiment Stream Ecology Kit is a great hands-on scientific activity for teachers and curious students. The kit makes an immediate connection between the classroom and the outdoors and, by measuring the numbers and kinds of insects and other invertebrates in a stream, provides an estimate of stream water quality. NWF and the Center are partnering to distribute the kits.

“Students have an innate sense of curiosity about and desire to explore the natural world,” said Kevin Coyle, vice president of education at National Wildlife Federation. “The Leaf Pack Experiment Stream Ecology Kit encourages students to go outside and explore the streams in their backyard, learning as they go about the health of their local environment. It’s a terrific educational tool for schools and families.”

To purchase a Leaf Pack Experiment Stream Ecology Kit for your school or to gift one, visit www.shopnwf.org/leafpack.

 

And now here are highlights from NWF in the news:

New York Times: Learning the Lessons from Hurricane Sandy

The task force report gives us hope that these reckless policies will finally be revised in favor of a smarter, safer approach: lining the coast with flood barriers and other low-impact structures where necessary and finally accounting for the true risk of hurricanes.

Without these common-sense measures, we will all continue to pay the price when the next hurricane hits.- Joshua Saks, Legislative Director of NWF

Los Angeles Times: Hike & Seek aims to get families outdoors—that includes you, L.A.

Looking for an excuse to get the kids out in the fresh air this fall? Los Angeles and 10 other U.S. cities will be hosting Hike & Seek events, a combo hiking and scavenger hunt aimed at getting families outside to enjoy nature together.

Bloomberg News: Keystone’s Impact on Venezuela Muted by Waning Imports

The National Wildlife Federation, which opposes the pipeline, has said it believes much of the Keystone oil and the fuel refined from it will be exported from the Gulf Coast.

US News and Report: Report: Warming Waters Will Harm Freshwater Fish and Thousands of Jobs

“More extreme heat and drought are already causing big problems for fish that rely on cold, clean water – and the warming we’ve seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg,” Doug Inkley, a National Wildlife Federation senior scientist and co-author of the study, said in a released statement.

Miami Herald: BP: Jindal admin ‘misrepresents’ company’s record

The RESTORE Act, passed by Congress last year, dictates that 80 percent of the Clean Water Act penalties paid by BP be divided among Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas. Not only would a large chunk of that money be spread out evenly among the Gulf states, but the legislation also gives them some flexibility in deciding how the money is spent.

Charlotte Magazine: Wild Wonderland

You already know that wildlife habitats are diminishing. Maybe you volunteer for an environmental organization or make charitable donations to wildlife preservation groups. Want to have an even bigger impact? Start in your own backyard. David Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), explains how its Certified Wildlife Habitat program helps gardeners turn their backyards—and balconies—into natural habitats for wildlife.

Mother Nature Network: 10 people to follow on Twitter who are working to save the world

Danielle Brigida is the top social media strategist at the National Wildlife Federation and a well-respected leader in the field of nonprofit social marketing. She almost single-handedly brought the NWF into the social media age and built their profiles from zero to more than 145,000 Facebook fans and 158,000 Twitter followers. She’s highly sought after as both a speaker and interview subject.